Elam Cheney (1825-1912)
}} Elam Cheney Sr (1825-1912) - LDS Pioneer Vital Stats * Son of Aaron Cheney (1787-1861) and Mehitable Wells (1787-1869) * 1825-May-16 : Birth at Freedom, Cattaraugus Co, New York, USA * 1844-Oct-15 : Marriage (1) to Hannah Compton (1804-?) in Nauvoo Temple, she was 20 years his senior. * 1851-May : Marriage (2) to Margaret Wimmer (1829-1908) in Salt Lake City, UT widow of Hugh Johnson * 1854-Feb-13 : Marriage (3) to Talitha Cumi Garlic Avery (1824-1902) * 1866-Jun-23 : Marriage (4) to Martha Taylor (1828-1908) - * 1866-Jul-07 : Marriage (5) to Harriet Hedgehill (1847-?) - * 1912-Mar-29 : Died at Pinedale, Navajo Co, Arizona, USA * 1912-Mar-31 : Burial at Pinedale City Cemetary Biography Early Life When Elam's father, Aaron Cheney was but a small boy, his father Benjamin, moved to Granby, VT. As Aaron grew, he became a prosperous farmer and also the owner of a foundry where several men were employed and where large quantities of cast iron were produced. When he was twenty years of age he married Mehitable Wells on August 14, 1807. Ela , their fifth son, was born in Freedom, Cattaragus Co., N.Y. on 16 May 1825. Parents Conversion to Mormonism Elam's father and mother were both religiously inclined and were faithful members of the Methodist Church until they were visited by the Prophet Joseph Smith and Orson Pratt who taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They were baptized members of this church in the year 1831. In 1835 they moved to Kirtland, Ohio, where their ten-year-old son, Elam, was baptized in the Shegran River by Elder Deamascus Carter. They purchased a farm located about two miles southeast of where the Kirtland Temple was built. Early Vocational Training Elam developed an unquenchable thirst for learning everything he could. He learned the cooper's trade; a cooper is one who makes, or repairs, wooden caskets or tubs. He studied medicine and surgery, and worked long hours on the Kirtland temple. Later on, he helped in building the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois. His father, Aaron, taught him how to manage the farm, how to handle the iron and work at the blacksmith forge in the foundry which his father built. Elam's father taught him how to build a wagon, make the wheels, how to make a gristmill for making flour, how to farm. Elam learned how to make a living for his own family by developing every skill possible. He learned each trade well. Running races and wrestling came naturally and he loved wrestling. Elam's Vision in Kirtland About this time, notice was given that a meeting was to be held in the Kirtland Temple: all his family attended. The Prophet spoke in the meeting and, Elam noticed, that while he was speaking, he looked upwards at something or someone, so Elam looked in the direction and saw six personages - three on each side of the room. Their appearance attracted his attention, as they were dressed very differently to what he was accustomed to seeing. They had white moccasins on their feet and white caps on their heads. He asked his mother who they were; she said she could see no one. He told her they were dressed in white. He always remembered how they looked and how they were dressed. Later on, when he went to the temple to get his endowments, he discovered that the clothes, these six personages wore, were like the temple clothes. This experience was a testimony, which stayed with him throughout his life. Move to Illinois The Cheney family left Kirtland in July 1838 in the company known as Kirtland Camp. They intended to join the Saints at Nauvoo, but, owing to sickness, were not able to continue the journey. They stopped temporarily at Decatur, Macon Co., Illinois. While detained at this place, they were to work and fence a piece of ground, build a small house, raise a crop. It was while they were living at Decatur, that Joseph, the Prophet, started on his memorable trip to Washington for the purpose of laying the grievances of the saints before the President of the United States. As Joseph was passing through Decatur, he stopped and spent the night at the Cheney home. Elam, who was 14 at this time, was very much impressed by the conversation of the Prophet. As soon afterward, as they could, the Cheney Family continued their journey to Nauvoo. While at Nauvoo, Elam played in a game of baseball with Joseph Smith. Elam was present when the cornerstone of the Nauvoo Temple was laid, April 6, 1841. While the temple was being built the young men were given an opportunity to work out their tithing by working on the temple, so Elam worked every tenth day and sometimes oftener on the temple as a stonemason. He later joined the Nauvoo Legion under General Joseph Smith and Captain Hosea Stout. He was ordained a seventy and belonged to the Nineteenth Quorum, and took and active part in all the various organizations of the church. He often related how, at many times, his life was spared by the power of the Lord. At one time he was employed to help move a barn some distance up the Missouri River by means of a large flat boat. A rope was tied to the boat and a horse on the bank, and the horse pulled the boat up the river. The men worked to keep the boat free of the riverbank. In some way Elam Cheney was thrown overboard and almost drowned before they could get him out of the water. He caught hold of the boat and some of the men, seeing his hands, drew him in. Before he could be take to a house, he was almost frozen. He always gave the Lords credit for saving his life. Elam also relates how he almost lost his life trying to cross the Mississippi River on the ice. As he neared the middle of the river, he found the ice had thawed and broken in large blocks. At first, the blocks were close together, but as he went on, the spaces between them became wider. All at once he found himself on a block of ice which had moved with his weight, so he could step neither back or forward. He knew his only chance was to leap as far as he could, but as he leaped, his feet slipped and he fell with only the upper part of his body on the ice. His legs and feet were hanging down in the swift running water. How he ever got upon the block of ice he never knew, but it was only through the power of the Lord that he did not get crushed between the blocks of ice. Friendship of Dr Levi Cheney Elam Cheney was a close cousin of my great great grandfather Dr Levi Cheney as evident by his letters to his cousin Olive McBride. Elam Cheney was the son of Aaron Cheney Sr. and Mehitable Wells . Dr Levi Cheney was the son of Aaron's brother Ephraim Cheney and Harriet Law. Their early lives were spent together in many cities such as Freedom New York, Kirkland Ohio and finally Nauvoo Illinois until 1846. Elam and Levi were both born in 1825 in Freedom, Cattaraugus County, New York and had similar interest such as medicine. Dr. Levi Cheney would write to his cousin Olive Cheney McBride and recall the good times their two families had while living at Nauvoo, Illinois. Records show Ephraim Cheney (Dr. Levi's father) many acres in Nauvoo Illinois on block 32 behind the "Nauvoo House", a hotel that was built by the Mormon Church to house traveling members. Aaron Cheney Sr (Elam's father) owned 40 acres which was catty corner to Ephraim Cheney's land on block 28. Their families had lived in close proximity also in Freedom, New York and Kirkland Ohio. They had joined the new Mormon Church about 1831 and moved about as Mormons were often forced out. Levi, Aaron, Elam , Olive Cheney McBride and other Cheneys would follow Brigham Young after the death of Joseph Smith Jr .to Salt Lake City, Utah. Levi and two of his brothers returned to Illinois and later to Independence Mo. First Marriage While at Nauvoo he received his Patriarchal Blessing under the hands of Patriarch John Smith. In this blessing he was told he should soon find a companion and they should received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple. This was literally fulfilled. He made acquaintance of a Hannah Compton who had been born in Worcestershire, England, March 27, 1804; she had a young son from a former marriage with no way to care for herself and her child. Even though she was twenty years older than Elam (he was just past nineteen and she was 40 years old) he took her as his wife, upon the request of Brigham Young, and cared for her and her child. They were married in the Nauvoo Temple on the 15th of October 1844, and received their endowments. Martyrdom of Joseph Smith As mob violence increased and the saints were driven from their homes in Nauvoo, Brother Cheney shared all the hardships endured by the saints. He was at Nauvoo, and saw the Prophet leave for Carthage and heard him make the remark, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter." He was at the meeting in Nauvoo, when Governor Boggs was present, while the tragedy was being enacted at Carthage, and he was among those who left Nauvoo to accompany the bodies of the Prophet, and his brother Hyrum, back to the city. He was present at the funeral of the martyred brothers. He also attended the meeting when President Young took the stand and made manifest to the people that he was rightful successor of the Prophet Joseph. Elam saw the mantle of the Prophet appear upon Brigham Young at the time he addressed the congregation telling of his taking Joseph's place. Migration to Utah Using his knowledge as a carpenter and blacksmith, Elam made his own wagon for the journey westward, coming in the second company of pioneers. This company was organized at Far West, MO, on May 16th, 1847, with Jedediah M. Grant as Captain. The company was sub-divided into companies of fifty and companies of ten. Each company was under a captain. Brother Cheney was in the company under John Van: this company endured many hardships. The men took turns standing guard at night. One morning, after a night of guard, Brother Cheney came into camp, tired and hungry, so thought he would eat breakfast before yoking his three oxen and a cow. After eating, he found one of his oxen missing. He tried to find it in camp, but failed. Supposing it had strayed away, he went in search of it. He returned to camp without the ox and found the company had gone on and his wife left alone on the prairie. He was afraid to linger behind on account of the hostile Indians, so he yoked up his cow and two oxen and taking the place of the missing ox, they journeyed on, over-taking the company as they were leaving the place where they had stopped for lunch. He was informed that one of the Captains had his ox and was working it. Elam got his ox and they continued their journey. At Green River he was stricken with mountain fever and was sick the remainder of the journey. The company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley October 5th, 1847. Here Elam and his wife lived in the old fort until he built him a log house outside the fort. His first and only child by Hannah Compton Cheney, was a daughter, Matilda Cheney, born nine days after they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. In the spring of 1849 they moved from Salt Lake to Centerville; here he secured a farm, built a home and helped other families to build up the place. Then, in 1850, they moved to Springville (just south of Provo) to farm; build another home, help build up the area and to also help on the large fort, for a protection against Indian raids. He took an active part in defense of this colony. Cheney's Ranch In 1857 he moved to a place which later became known as Cheney's Ranch, and went into the stock business. He became a friend of the Indians, the fact that protected his five wives and children in the Indian Raids. All his wives lived in the same log house. All ate at the same table and the women made their dresses from the same bolt of cloth. Family Life Elam Cheney was an early convert to the Mormon religion and after moving to Utah, he followed their practice of Polygamy. His last four marriages were solemnized in the endowment house in Salt Lake City. Brigham Young was instrumental in all five marriages. Marriage to Hannah Compton * 1844-Oct-15 : Marriage (1) to Hannah Compton (1804-?) in Nauvoo Temple, she was 20 years his senior. # Hannah Cheney (1847-1847) - died young # Hannah Matilda Cheney (1849-1940) - Marriage to Margaret Wimmer Here, in Springville, he married another widow, at Brigham Young's request, about May 1851; she was the widow of Hugh George Johnson and had two sons by him; Rufus and George Johnson. Her name was Margaret Wimmer; daughter of John Wimmer and Elizabeth Hendricks and was born 24 May 1829 in Quincy Adams, Il. She was twenty-two and Elam was twenty-six years old when they married. They had seven children while living in Springville: Louise, Elam, Elizabeth Ellen, John and Jane, Aaron Elijah and Peter Wimmer Cheney. John and Jane died the same month they were born-they were twins. Franklin Cheney was born Jan 15, 1866, at the Mona Cheney Ranch, in Juab Co., Utah. Theodore Cheney, born 27 March 1868 in Fairview, Sanpete, Utah. Moses was born 9 Sep, 1873 in Fairview; died the same day. Moron Cheney, born Feb. 1874, in Fairview, also died the same day. She, Margaret Wimmer, died May 19, 1908 in Kimberly, Idaho. * 1851-May : Marriage (2) to Margaret Wimmer (1829-1908) in Salt Lake City, UT widow of Hugh Johnson # Louisa Cheney (1852-1912) # Elam Cheney (1854-1926) # Elizabeth Ellen Cheney (1857-1940) - md Moses Martin Sanders, Jr and lived many years in the Mexican Mormon Colonies. # John Cheney (1858-1858) - died infant # Jane Cheney (1858-1858) - died infant # Aaron Elijah Cheney (1860-1903) # Peter Wimmer Cheney (1863-1928) # Franklin Cheney (1866-1940) # Theadore Cheney (1868-1939) # Moses Cheney (1873-1873) - died infant # Moronia Cheney (1874-1874) - Died Infant Marriage to Talitha Garlick Elam wasn't quite 29 when he was again asked by the Prophet to marry a widow named Talitha Cumi Garlic Avery; her husband had died at Sugar Creek. Talitha's father and mother were David Garlic and Elizabeth Buck and she was born 22 Sep 1824 in Providence, Bedford, PA. Elam and Talitha were married on 13th Feb. 1854 and lived in Springville with his other two wives. They had four children while living there; Olive Mehitable Cheney Jan 18th 1855; David Cheney - 8 Mar. 1857; Selar Cheney - 16 June 1859; Thomas Edward Cheney - 25 Mar. 1862. * 1854-Feb-13 : Marriage (3) to Talitha Cumi Garlic Avery (1824-1902) # Olive Mehitable Cheney (1855-1938) - m. George Humble # David Cheney (1857-1926) - m. Lodema Hutchings and had son that married sister of LDS Apostle Romney # Selar Cheney (1859-1922) - m. Mary Wilson # Thomas Edward Cheney (1862-1901) - m. Eliza Hutchings # Smaley Cheney (1864-) - ?? Marriage to Martha Taylor Elder Cheney's fourth marriage was with Martha Taylor, endowed June 23, 1866. She was born November 1828 and died August 13, 1908. * 1866-Jun-23 : Marriage (4) to Martha Taylor (1828-1908) - # Sarah Jane Cheney (1857-1895) - m. Benjamin Jones # William Wells Cheney (1859-1927) - m. Agnes Anderson # Hannah Mariah Cheney (1861-1863) # John Elam Cheney (1864-1865) # Samuel Cheney (1866-1870) # Mahitable Cheney (1868-1908) - m. William Brady # Orsen Cheney (1871-1871) # Ezekiel Thomas Cheney (1872-1922) - m. Lucetta Hambrick # Moroni Cheney (1874-1875) # Orin Cheney (1874-1874) Marriage to Harriet Edgehill His fifth wife was Harriet Hedgehill, July 7, 1866. She was born at Burmington, England, on October 5, 1847. * 1866-Jul-07 : Marriage (5) to Harriet Hedgehill (1847-?) - John Robert "Jack" Edgehill (1866-1922) Isaac Cheney (1867-1867) Abraham Cheney (1868-1868) George Cheney (1869-1906) Melinda Cheney (1871-1876) Melvina Cheney (1873-1903) Melvin Cheney (1875-1875) Margaret Ellen Chaney (1876-1968) Ezra Cheney (1878-1878) Juliette Cheney (1879-1892) Rosalia Cheney (1881-1883) James Cheney (1882-1882) Hyrum Elam Cheney (1883-1961) Charles Cheney (1887-1918) References * Cheney Family Ancestry * Joshua Wells Family Ancestry * Benjamin Cheney Immigrant Ancestors * Selah Wells Immigrant Ancestors * Cheney History - * Heart Throbs of the West: Volume 10, The Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Pioneers of 1849, Daughters of Utah Pioneers. * History of Elam Cheney, my Grandfather by Aaron Lincon Cheney of Utah. * A Brief History of Peter Wimmer Cheney and Keziah Lovina Brady Cheney by Aaron H. Cheney. Vital Records 1850 US Census Res: Davis County, Utah Territory * Elam Cheney (M-25) - b. NY / Ocp: Farmer * Hannah Cheney (F-41) - b. England * Edward Cheney (M-22) - b. England * Hannah Cheney (F-2) 1880 US Census Res: Fairview, Sanpete Co, Utah * Elam Cheeny (M-55) / Ocp Farmer & Miller * Margaret Cheeny (F-51) * Peter Cheeny (M-17) * Franklin Cheeny (M-14) * Theodore Cheeny (M-12) * Rosalie Smith (F-12) * Martha Tidwell (F-16) * Aaron Cheeny (M-19) / Ocp Farmer & Miller * Sarah J Cheeny (F-20) * Sarah F Cheeny (F-1)